1. Field
The invention is in the field of devices which may be used instead of ski poles when skiing.
2. State of the Art
Use has been made recently on a very limited basis of relatively flat sheets of rigid or semirigid material of various shapes which may be held in the hands of a skier in place of ski poles when skiing. These sheets of material have a relatively large surface area on the two flat sides and relatively narrow edges. Thus, when the sheets are held so that the edges face the direction of travel, they cut through the air with very little resistance, but when turned, even slightly, exert acrodynamic forces on the skier. The use of these sheets, or skiing stabilizers as they are called herein, add an interesting variation to the sport of skiing. Their use can help a skier remain in upright skiing positions, help him turn, help with other interesting maneuvers, or may merely add another challenge to the sport.
The stabilizers previously in use were merely a single sheet of material, usually of rhombus shape with hand holes provided for holding the sheet. Even a modified oval shaped stabilizer, in which two sheets of material were joined together about their edges to form the stabilizer, see my copending design patent application, Ser. No. 903,978 filed May 8, 1978, had hand holes for the handle extending completely through the stabilizer. Such arrangement leaves a portion of the hand exposed on the outer side of the stabilizers. Even though ski gloves are worn, the extension of the hand completely through the stabilizer is undesirable in many instances.